Focal Point | British Virgin Islands

Sailing through the British Virgin Islands truly feels like stepping into a postcard.

With every nautical mile sailed and with every drop of the anchor, I find another reason to fall in love with these islands. Often however, we tend to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of working towards our goal of performing 100 community service hours in a short three week trip and overlook the beautiful backdrop in which we so fortunately find ourselves.

Below you’ll find just a few of my favorite photos from my GoBeyond summer volunteer programs for high school students in the British Virgin Islands. So kick back, relax, and let the Trade-winds blow through your hair in this gallery of 21 BVI photos from this year’s “Preserving Paradise” Journey ~ Because lets be honest, we would all rather be in the islands right now anyway. Enjoy! hello

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While larger vessels facilitate island hopping through the Caribbean, small dinghies are the mode of transport for safely navigating shallow areas near shore.

| Anegada, British Virgin Islands. |

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Sailing through the Caribbean offers a unique perspective of the islands, but it isn’t until you set foot on land that you realize just how unique these islands truly are.

| Salt Pond, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. |

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The shallow seagrass beds around so many of the Caribbean islands is prime mating and nursery habitat for hundreds of marine species. Here a nurse shark navigates the shallows at the beginning of mating season.

| Anegada, British Virgin Islands. |

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Coppermine National Park, Virgin Gorda. The remains of this copper mine date back to the 1830s, with Cornish miners extracting copper for a number of years before the mine was shut down.

| Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. |

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The sea crashes into the massive granite boulders of Copper Mine National Park.

| Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. |

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Rock hopping the massive granite boulders of The Baths on Virgin Gorda. These granite giants are formed during the cooling process of molten magma being pushed toward a volcanic opening at the earth’s crust.

Three catamarans trimming the sails during the annual sail race to Norman Island. All ActionQuest and GoBeyond vessels sail as fast as they can to win the coveted “Dive-Side Dehydrator” trophy.

| Sir France Drake Channel, British Virgin Islands. |

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It’s All-Hands-On-Deck during race day. Set a course and trim the sails!

| Sir Frances Drake Channel, British Virgin Islands |

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Pulling into Marina Cay, a small 8 acre island ringed by a soft, white-sand beach.

| Marina Cay, British Virgin Islands. |

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Sunrise in Soper’s Hole.

| West End, Tortola, British Virgin Islands. |

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Palm trees and a cool breeze.

| Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. |

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Large flocks of seabirds commonly descend upon unsuspecting boaters.

| Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands. |

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The countless anchorages and marinas of the British Virgin Islands offer ample opportunities to perfect swan dives and cannonballs.

| West End, Tortola. |

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Beauty abounds around every bend in the road.

| Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. |

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“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” – Benjamin, Franklin.

| Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. |

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The often unseen “windward” sides of the islands offer a different perspective on beaches in the British Virgin Islands.

| Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands. |

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The azure waters of the British Virgin Islands are a snorkeling and SCUBA diving paradise.

| Norman Island, British Virgin Islands. |

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Caribbean Colors.

| Norman Island, British Virgin Islands. |

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Saba Rock, a popular stop on any sailing excursion through the BVIs.

| Saba Rock, British Virgin Islands. |

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Home is where you park it. The sun sets on an anchorage in Jost Van Dyke.

| Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands. |

About The Author

Shaun’s passions for adventure and exploration were sparked at a young age through frequent camping trips in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and surfing trips in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Through a variety of jobs in education, marine science, and adventure guiding over the past six years, Shaun has sought to broaden not only his own horizons, but also the horizons of his students through immersive and experiential education. Currently, Shaun aims to inspire environmental awareness, conservation, and stewardship in the marine ecosystem by combining his interests in photography, journalism and media. Follow his journey on Instagram (@ScSwartz), or through his website www.shaunswartz.com